The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 54

JOHN HENRY MORGAN.

John Henry Morgan, who has devoted his life to educational interests and is now
principal of the high school at Ellensburg, was born in Rutherford county, North
Carolina, a son of Daniel and Catherine (Cochran) Morgan, who were also natives
of North Carolina, where the father followed the occupation of farming as a life
work thus providing for the support of his family. Both he and his wife have
passed away.

John Henry Morgan supplemented his public school education by study in a private
academy and was afterward graduated from the Furman University of South Carolina
as a member of the class of 1879. In the same year he sought the opportunities
of the northwest, making his way to Walla Walla, Washington. He took up teaching
in the country schools of this state and as his ability became recognized he was
called to the principalship of the schools of Dayton, where he served for a
year. He then accepted the position of principal of the schools at Waitsburg,
where he remained for four years, and on the 25th of May, 1887, he came to
Ellensburg and for four years was principal of the public schools of this city,
during which time he also served as county superintendent of schools. In 1893 he
became head of the department of mathematics and vice-principal of the State
Normal School M Ellensburg and continued in the dual position until 1916. Since
then he has held the head professorship of mathematics in the high school and is
now principal. He is regarded as one of the ablest educators of the state,
having for many years been prominently identified with the schools of
Washington. He has ever displayed marked ability in imparting clearly and
readily to others the knowledge that he has acquired and he has ever held to the
highest standards of his profession. He served as superintendent of schools for
Walla Walla county and also for Kittitas county and served as superintendent of
schools for the territory of Washington during the last term before the
admission to the Union. He has likewise been a candidate for state
superintendent of schools on three different occasions but met defeat.

On the 25th of February, 1891, Mr. Morgan was married to Miss Margaret Bradshaw
Hawkins, of Tacoma, a daughter of H. T. Hawkins. Nessa Margaret Morgan, their
only child, is a graduate of the State Normal School of Ellensburg and is now
teaching in the schools of Tacoma. She is also a graduate of the Pratt Institute
of New York.

Mr. Morgan is a Mason, belonging to Ellensburg Lodge, No. 39, A. F. & A. V.. He
also has membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Woodmen of
the World and the Knights of Pythias. His political endorsement is given to the
democratic party and he has been a close student of the vital questions and
problems of the day. He has served in the city council and also as mayor of the
city of Ellensburg. He was secretary of the library board from its beginning and
did the corresponding with Mr. Carnegie at the time the donation was received.
He is still a member of the board. Since 1898 he has been an active member of
the National Educational Association and is also a member of the state board of
education and president of the Washington Educational Association and also of he
Educational Council. His life has ever been characterized by devotion to the
public good and along professional lines and as a citizen he has put forth every
effort to advance the welfare of his fellowmen. He has many admirable qualities
which have made him greatly beloved, so that his circle of friends is almost
coextensive with the circle of his acquaintance in Washington.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.